Japan attaches importance to and intend to promote cooperation with the Mekong sub-region, including Vietnam , and identifies environment as one of the most important fields for cooperation.
Deputy Press Secretary and Deputy Director General of the Public Diplomacy Department under the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hidenobu Sobashima stated this in an interview granted to reporters on the sidelines of the 43 rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and related meetings that took place in the capital city of Hanoi on July 21.
“We intend to continue the cooperation with the Mekong sub-region and implement new projects,” said Sobashima.
He said the two sides last year held a Mekong-Japan summit at which Japan put forwards initiatives and specific cooperative projects with the countries in the sub-region.
“We committed last November 500 billion yen (roughly 5.5 billion USD) for cooperation in three years,” stressed the Japanese official who is also the spokesperson for Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Katsuya Okada during the latter’s trip to Hanoi this time for attending the meetings and for a visit to Vietnam.
The two sides have conducted several projects in the sub-region and agreed to promote the Green Mekong initiative in order to develop the region in a sustainable way, said the official while affirming Japan would honour its commitments.
He reckoned that the implementation of the two sides’ cooperative projects would narrow the development gap in the region.
On the occasion, the Japanese diplomat spoke highly of the chairmanship of Vietnam at these meetings and Vietnam-Japan ties.
“ Japan and Vietnam agreed to promote a strategic partnership. I think you recognise the economic, trade and investment relationship between the two countries is very important at the moment,” said Sobashima.
“This year, Vietnam is the chair of ASEAN. We appreciate very much Vietnam ’s initiatives,” he added.
He said that Okada’s bilateral trip to Vietnam aims to further strengthen the relationship with the country.
“We look forward to further enhancing the relationship with Vietnam because the importance of Vietnam in ASEAN and in the Mekong sub-region,” he said./.
Deputy Press Secretary and Deputy Director General of the Public Diplomacy Department under the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hidenobu Sobashima stated this in an interview granted to reporters on the sidelines of the 43 rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and related meetings that took place in the capital city of Hanoi on July 21.
“We intend to continue the cooperation with the Mekong sub-region and implement new projects,” said Sobashima.
He said the two sides last year held a Mekong-Japan summit at which Japan put forwards initiatives and specific cooperative projects with the countries in the sub-region.
“We committed last November 500 billion yen (roughly 5.5 billion USD) for cooperation in three years,” stressed the Japanese official who is also the spokesperson for Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Katsuya Okada during the latter’s trip to Hanoi this time for attending the meetings and for a visit to Vietnam.
The two sides have conducted several projects in the sub-region and agreed to promote the Green Mekong initiative in order to develop the region in a sustainable way, said the official while affirming Japan would honour its commitments.
He reckoned that the implementation of the two sides’ cooperative projects would narrow the development gap in the region.
On the occasion, the Japanese diplomat spoke highly of the chairmanship of Vietnam at these meetings and Vietnam-Japan ties.
“ Japan and Vietnam agreed to promote a strategic partnership. I think you recognise the economic, trade and investment relationship between the two countries is very important at the moment,” said Sobashima.
“This year, Vietnam is the chair of ASEAN. We appreciate very much Vietnam ’s initiatives,” he added.
He said that Okada’s bilateral trip to Vietnam aims to further strengthen the relationship with the country.
“We look forward to further enhancing the relationship with Vietnam because the importance of Vietnam in ASEAN and in the Mekong sub-region,” he said./.
